Re-Viewing James Bond

Do Daniel Craig’s 007 films stand the test of time?

I’ve never been the biggest fan of James Bond. Probably not the best way to start a review of a film franchise. Another point against me is that I’m not reviewing the entire series; I’ve only ever seen five Bond films, four of which star Daniel Craig.

Historically, I’ve been hit or miss with this franchise; on original viewings, I loved the first two films, but as time grew on, the second slipped out of my favor. The third was, frankly, the very best, and then the fourth was a major letdown, to the point I only saw it once. So I think it is safe to say that I am entering this marathon with mixed feelings.

Bond has also never been one of my favorite characters; I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Daniel Craig’s version, but I’ve never been interested in going back to see any of the others (besides that one time when I watched Goldeneye, and that was more or less just to see what all the fuss was about). I’m not big into the spy genre in general; besides the Mission: Impossible movies (which keep getting better and better with each new installment), it’s a genre that I rarely venture into. I am more likely to watch a spoof- like Johnny English- than I am an actual spy thriller.

But No Time to Die is somewhat around the corner, so I think now is as good a time…